> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Samohi taggers reignite tensions - URL: https://www.smdp.com/samohi-taggers-reignite-tensions/ - Published: 2006-02-09T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T17:12:04.000Z - Author: Kevin Herrera - Tags: Education, Santa Monica, #archive-import *Graffiti bein as hate crim* SAMOHI — Parents are outraged over what they feel was a weak response by school officials to a rise in tensions here after racist graffiti was spotted last week in at least two locations on campus. During a Parent-Teacher- Student Association (PTSA) meeting on Tuesday in the Santa Monica High School cafeteria, mothers of African-American students said school officials and district administrators have avoided their calls for action and seem to “be running from the issue,” said Lori Williams, a concerned parent and alumna of the school. The vandalism, which authorities believe was committed late last Thursday or early Friday, included the “N”-word spray-painted several times, along with expletives and violent threats. “It read n----r killers. N----rs die. F--k n----rs. It was just disgusting, particularly during Black History Month,” Williams said. Samohi principal Ilene Straus said she followed district policy regarding graffiti. She notified police, and is conducting mediation and counseling sessions with students to discuss the graffiti, its impact and what can be done to foster better relations between different ethnic groups on campus. EMOTIONS RUN HIGH The sessions were created following an April 15, 2005 brawl involving dozens of Latino and African-American students. Since then, six community outreach members have been hired and the administration has partnered with the Anti-Defamation League to promote unity throughout the district, school officials said. “This touched all of us in a very emotional way … bringing up a lot of anger and frustration,” Straus said to parents regarding the graf-fiti. “We here at Santa Monica High School, and in the district, do not tolerate racist behavior … We have reported this as a hate crime to the police and we are taking this very, very seriously.” > “We have reported this as a hate crime to the police and we are taking this very, very seriously.” — ILENE STRAUS Samohi principal School officials said it may have been the work of gang members who don’t attend the school. There are serious consequences for the person or persons responsible, particularly if they are a student, district officials said. They could be suspended, expelled and could be convicted of a hate crime. Their parents could also be responsible for paying restitution to the district. While the graffiti was removed Friday, students arriving for class were able to read the hateful messages because school officials didn’t have enough paint to cover them up, Straus said. Many students were hurt, angry and fearful that the graffiti could increase racial tension on campus and spark another brawl like the one in April in which six students were suspended, including one who was intoxicated, according to a report by school officials. “On Friday, there were a lot of cops here looking out,” said Crystal, an African-American 11th grader at Samohi who didn’t want to give her last name for fear of being targeted by those involved with the graffiti. “There were a lot of Latinos here, some who didn’t look like they even go to school here. It was pretty tense, like there was going to be a fight.” Another student, who would only identify himself as Marcus, said he has noticed some tension, but only between a few groups of students. “You just keep to yourself, hang with your friends and don’t cause any problems and you’ll be fine,” he said. “I’m a little worried, you know, looking over my back sometimes if I’m alone, but I’m not scared to go to school or anything.” Parents said the graffiti is only the latest racially-charged event to occur at Samohi. Racism has been a problem festering in the district and at the high school for decades, and nothing seems to have been done to combat it, parents contend. “We need to stop talking and do something,” said Crystal Quine, a mother of two Samohi students. “Don’t spend another $30,000 on a freaking survey. Do something about it. I’m tired of this.” CONFLICT A SYMPTOM OF SOCIETY Schools Superintendent John Deasy said the district is working aggressively on easing the concerns of parents and students, pointing to mediation sessions that are taking place at the campus, as well as the hiring of six community outreach specialists. “The district has done tremendous work trying to deal with very real issues in our society,” he said. “We are doing everything in our power to support kids and build a tolerant culture inside and outside of our schools. But these are very real societal problems and they are worries in our society. Kids do get affected by that and may bring those attitudes to school, and we work with them on that.” School board member Oscar De La Torre said the tension local schools and other districts across the county are experiencing is a product of the large number of blacks and Latinos who are incarcerated in racially-segregated jails. Some parents said the graffiti could be in response to a recent race riot at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic last weekend. “The prison culture is spilling over into our streets and our schools. It’s all connected,” De La Torre said. “There are some people and some institutions in our society who perpetuate racial segregation, division and racial hatred. Prisons are a breeding ground for this and we want to make sure our schools do not emulate that.” After the fight in April of last year, a community group calling itself the Unity Coalition devised a 10-point plan to help create racial harmony within the school district. The coalition called for mediation sessions, counseling, culturally-relevant curriculum and the hiring of faculty that represents the racial makeup of the school. The coalition presented the plan informally to district officials, who told the coalition that eight of the 10 ideas were already part of district policy, said Jules Bagneris, the moderator for the coalition. “We took that as our plan was adopted. Now it looks like its time to take action,” Bagneris said. “The superintendent and school board members told us they had measures in place, but from what I can see, their approach is unrealistic. The district is bankrupt when it comes to this. They just don’t know how to deal with violence on campus.” Bagneris said he will recommend to the coalition that it push for Straus to be removed as principal from Samohi and be replaced with someone who “is qualified to work with a campus of this size and with a multi-cultural environment.” At the end of the PTSA meeting, Straus said she would continue to follow district policy, but did say she would be in contact with parents who have suggestions on how to enhance race relations. De La Torre suggested a relatively easy, but effective first step: Paint a mural that promotes unity. “Why not put a mural (at the site of the graffiti) to replace the negativity with something positive,” he said. “This is something the students have been talking about and I think we should move on it quickly to show some action.” In the meantime, parents of minority students are left with what they feel are empty promises that things will get better. “All the school wants to do is keep up appearances,” said Carol Zeitlin, a parent of an African-American student. “They want to promote this image that everything is fine and dandy here. Obviously, it’s not.” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 9, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/020906.pdf?ref=smdp.com)